title: Health-related quality of life and physical functioning in people living with HIV/AIDS: a case-control design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and functional exercise capacity are important area of therapeutic interventions needed to improve the general health of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). However, the relationship between self-report and Performance-based Measure of Functional Capacity (PMFC) of PLWH is still obscure. This study compared the HRQoL and PMFC between a homogenous sample of clinical stage I PLWH and apparently healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study involved 74 consenting participants (37 PLWH and 37 controls) who completed the self-report SF-12 questionnaire and PMFC assessment using Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT). PMFC was expressed in terms of Six-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), Six-Minute Walk Work (6MWW) and Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and inferential statistics of independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's product moment correlation. Alpha level was set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the SF-12 Physical-health Component Score (PCS) of PLWH and the controls (p=0.782). However, the SF-12 Mental-health Component Score (MCS) of PLWH was higher than that of controls (p=0.040). 6MWD, 6MWW and VO2max were significantly lower for PLWH (p<0.05). Among PLWH, there was no significant gender differences in the PMFC (p>0.05) while PCS was higher among females. There was no significant correlation between PMFC variables and each of PCS and MCS for PLWH and controls (p>0.05) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-report physical health of clinical stage 1 PLWH and controls was comparable, while self-report mental health capacity was higher in PLWH than the controls. PMFC of PLWH was significantly lower compared to healthy controls without gender bias. Overall, self-report and performance-based measure of physical functional capacity of PLWH was not inter-related. Therefore understanding the factors that may influence exercise capacity of PLWH may help to develop effective exercise programmes for PLWH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Rehabilitation, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, and Department of Physiotherapy, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. doziembada@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Chidozie Emmanuel
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mbada
authors.forename: Olaniyi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onayemi
authors.forename: Yewande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogunmoyole
authors.forename: Olubusola Esther
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Christopher O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Akosile
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult